Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 7th May 2026
Last updated
Wed 6th May 26 at
4:26PM
Summary for all mountain areas
South to southwesterly winds giving considerable chill factor over high terrain, up to gale-force over coastal northwest Highlands. Areas of showery rain, most widespread into the afternoon when some clusters of heavier rain forming. Rain generally becomes more persistent toward northwest Scotland.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Windy. Local bursts of rain moving northeast.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 25 to 35mph, strong downslope gusts early, local 40mph around higher Cairngorms. Speeds tending to increase a little later in day from the west, by evening gusts over 40mph Monadhliath to Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking impeded in exposure with notable wind chill; buffeting in early gusts not just on high tops, also more widely by late in day.
How Wet?
Periods of showery rain by middle of day onward
Scattered mostly light showers early in day. Then greater risk of showery rain middle of day into afternoon, local clusters moving northeastward, some heavy. Further showery rain toward west during evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to summits with breaks
Fairly extensive 800m and up Drumochter to Deeside, bases nearer 1000m or higher north Cairngorms. Cloud lifting through morning, tending to break, variable banks on high tops, but then returning more broadly over high terrain around rain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sunshine, best north. Excellent visibility, but deteriorating where showers form.
How Cold? (at 900m)
+1C, rising to 5 or 6C, local 7C northern Cairngorms. Tending to lower overnight. Feeling like -3 to -5C in strongest wind during daytime.
Freezing Level
1000m, with patchy frost glens and corries at dawn. Lifting to the highest tops or just above. Lowering overnight toward 1000m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 8th May 2026
Last updated
Wed 6th May 26 at
4:26PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25-35mph, strongest north Monadhlaith where gusty; shifting westerly and easing, 15-25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking inconvenienced, strenuous northern areas with wind chill; easing, but nuisance breeze on summits.
How Wet?
Showers, most afternoon
A day of scattered showers, some snow flurries on tops in morning; tending to move eastwards during the day, some heavier bursts locally possibly, whilst some places escape more often dry all day.
Cloud on the hills?
Early cloud lifts to or above the summits
Covering terrain above 1000m at dawn, lower bases south slopes, to 800m. Likely lifting through morning to clear the summits for much of the afternoon. Banks may return over the Cairngorm plateau during heaviest rain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sunshine, more often cloudy with time. Very good visibility but becoming variable as showers increase.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2 or 3C, rising to 6C. Feeling as cold as -10C in early wind.
Freezing Level
Lingering just around the high tops, sometimes above, but later may lower to 1200m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 9th May 2026
Last updated
Wed 6th May 26 at
4:26PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
North to northwesterly 15 to 20mph, perhaps often less toward Drumochter.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small.
How Wet?
Local light showers
Scattered brief light showers, mostly afternoon, later toward east. Falling as a brief flurry of snow on the Munros.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting, clearing most summits
Occasional patches of cloud on upper slopes in the morning, patches may come and go for a few hours northern areas, but tending to lift above most or all tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of sun, tending to cloud over. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C rising to +2C.
Freezing Level
800m plus frost in glens at dawn. Lifting toward 1100-1200m afternoon.
Planning Outlook
A notably chilly outlook for May into the weekend and early next week, with higher Scottish mountains almost continuously below freezing point possibly onward through much of next week as northwesterly air prevails. After a warmer end to this week, higher tops in England and Wales also dropping intermittently to freezing point from the weekend onward. Wind-speed varying day-to-day, but prepare for often considerable chill-factor on all mountains. Some frost overnight into valleys when skies are clear. Broadly showery through mid-May, plus some fronts bringing persistent rain most common in northwestern Scotland, often falling as snow on mountain tops, sometimes to below 600m. Drier intervals too, some days with fewer showers and broken cloud lifting above the summits, varying locally day-to-day.